


The King is Dead, Long Live the King

by GanGstasGirl



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, F/F, F/M, Feelings, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, I NEEDED THIS, I miss Crowley, I'm having a hard time dealing with Crowley's death, M/M, Multi, Other, Sorry Not Sorry, long live the king, not exactly, not sam winchester friendly, whatever
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-28
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-11-06 02:38:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11026869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GanGstasGirl/pseuds/GanGstasGirl
Summary: Days after the Winchester's bury Cas, Dean gets a text from Crowley's number. It's not Crowley, but this person wants to meet. He knows they probably shouldn't, but the boys do anyway.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I'm having a really hard time with Crowley's death and this idea came to me. I do have plans to add more. *This* means italics. Some of it is also in bold and that is on purpose. Italics don't always show on the works on this site. But, enjoy. And I'll be updating Iron Widow Origins this week.
> 
> Edit: I messed up at the end. It takes around 25 hours to get from Fall River, Massachusetts to Lebanon, Kansas. I fixed it.
> 
> [The Queen](https://www.polyvore.com/queen_king_is_dead_long/set?id=222338024)
> 
> [Princess](https://www.polyvore.com/princess_king_is_dead_long/set?id=222339212)
> 
> [Prince](http://www.polyvore.com/prince_king_is_dead_long/set?id=222340091) (Pretend the jacket is black because I could only find a white one I liked.)

 

When Dean had received the text, he’d wondered if they could trust it. But something in his gut was telling him that he needed to answer the summons.

 

Now, he was standing at the entrance to Needham Asylum in Fall River, Massachusetts with Sam at his side. They had no solid leads on how to get their mom back from the portal, they missed Cas, and they could only guess why someone from Hell would want a meeting with them.

 

“The queen will see you now.” A demon said. He was dressed in an impeccable suit, the same way Crowley had always had them dress, but there were subtle differences. For one, they reminded him more of soldiers than businessmen.

 

“Queen?” Sam asked and Dean was grateful. He hadn’t thought to question that part, he felt unusually distracted.

 

“Please follow me.” The man said as he turned and walked into the building.

 

Stepping into the entrance, he was expecting to see dirt and leaves covering the ground, much like it had been. Instead, his boots touched clean stone. The whole place looked as if it had been scrubbed from top to bottom and the furniture was definitely new. Opulent couches and chairs, rugs, and throw pillows were scattered around the room. Cloth covered the windows and walls, creating a cozy atmosphere despite the size of the area.

 

Walking towards the stairs, Dean noticed paintings of landscapes, mostly forests and things. Some were paintings of animals, though, or hunts. One in particular, at the top of the staircase, gave him pause. At first it looked like random smears of black, gray, white, and red. The longer he stared, the more he realized it was creatures. He couldn’t figure out what they were but he thought he saw a few hounds, horns, antlers, and tentacles. A chill raced down his spine when he saw the title of the painting. * _The Wild Hunt*._

 

A throat cleared and he forced himself not to jump. He turned towards Sam and the demon where they stood waiting patiently in front of a large set of double doors.

 

“Right, the queen.” Dean said as he started walking again. He didn’t want that picture at his back but he didn’t have much of a choice.

 

The demon knocked and the doors opened with a flourish. He didn’t know enough about this new leader to know if they were putting on a show or if this was always how things were ran.

 

“Thank you, Frederick.” A voice said and Dean caught sight of the throne finally. It was on a dais with two chairs on either side. Both chairs sat lower than the throne. Sitting in the two lowest seats were two teenagers. One boy and one girl. They were dressed like royalty, the girl in an elaborate gown with her hair pinned up and the boy wore a suit with coattails and sashes.

 

Dean felt his anger rise as he looked at them. He knew that demons took whatever vessel they wanted, but they could at the very least choose adults, not children.

 

“Do not be angry, Dean.” The woman on the throne said and his eyes immediately fell on her. Her black hair was so dark it looked like it was formed from shadows. Her skin was the palest ivory he’d ever seen, like moonlight, or snow. Her lips were a deep red, like fresh blood and her black eyes were startling. Not because they were demon eyes, but because only the sclera was black, the irises were blue fire and the pupils were as white as her skin.

 

“What’s this about?” Sam asked as Dean glared at the woman. “What are you?”

 

“I’m the queen of Hell.” She said and Dean caught a glimpse of razor sharp teeth lining her mouth.

 

**_“*The King is dead. Long live the King*.”_** Rang out through the building and Dean looked at Sam with wide eyes. This was not the Hell Crowley had ruled. These were loyal, faithful, soldiers. Dean got the feeling they’d just walked into the lion’s den.

 

“Don’t worry, Dean. I have no quarrel with you.” The woman said. Dean’s eyes went back to the teenagers sitting at her sides and she sighed as if she was weary. “I want to talk to you about an alliance.”

 

“An alliance? Against what?” He couldn’t help his suspicions. Crowley had mentioned before about closing the gates of Hell but he was dead now.

 

“Did you think that the British Men of Letters you killed on American soil were the only British Men of Letters left?” As she stepped off the dais, Dean was surprised to see that she was actually quite short.

 

She wore deadly looking high heels on her feet and a crown on her head. He was surprised that this was the first time he’d noticed the crown. It was some kind of black metal, with red and black stones set in an intricate design. He’d never seen Crowley wear a crown.

 

“Crowley was dramatic, but a different kind of dramatic. He preferred a more understated look.” She told him with a smirk.

 

“Wait, can you read my mind?” Dean asked her angrily.

 

“Only a little.” She told him as if was no big deal but also a point of contention.

 

“Well, stop.” He growled at her, looking towards Sam. “What do you care about the Men of Letters? I though Crowley was working with them?”

 

“Don’t presume to think you knew him.” The woman said disdainfully.

 

“We knew enough.” Sam’s voice dripped with scorn and suddenly the woman’s face transformed. Dean had originally thought she was beautiful, in a surreal way. Now, she was still beautiful, but it was a terrible beauty. A beauty meant to destroy.

 

Her features sharpened, her nails lengthened into claws and she hissed at Sam. Despite the youngest Winchester being about a foot taller than the woman, she gave him pause.

 

“You knew NOTHING!” Her red lips were curled back from her teeth in a snarl and Dean noticed that both of the teenagers had stood up. They still looked like normal teenagers, but he had plenty of experience with demons. “You stand there in all of your self-righteousness, holding contempt for a man that you never gave a single chance. You can take your self-righteousness, your * _piety*_ , and leave. Let it burn you alive.”

 

She spit the word piety as if it was an insult, and it was clearly meant as one. She looked as if it left a bad taste in her mouth.

 

“Wait.” Dean called out in a pleading voice as all of the demons in the room turned to face Sam. “Just wait.”

 

The woman turned towards him and he could see the rage in her eyes, but underneath that was pain. A lot of pain.

 

“We didn’t know a lot about Crowley, we admit. He was kind of hard to get to know.” He tried to reason with her.

 

“He betrayed us at every turn.” Sam said and Dean looked at him, his eyes wide as he pressed his lips into a thin line. Usually, Sam didn’t react this way. He wasn’t a malicious person. He was actually one of the kindest people Dean had ever known.

 

“He saved you!” She yelled as Sam was slammed through the double doors and flung down the stairs. The woman followed him, her hand raised towards him as he slid across the stone floor and towards the front door. Dean followed after them, trying to run towards Sam but unable to get past the crowd of demons.

 

“He deserved better from you!” Sam’s back was pressed against the front doors but the doors didn’t open. “I will demand better! Because I. Am. The. QUEEN!”

 

**_“*The King is dead. Long live the King*.”_** All of the demons around them said and then Sam was shoved out the door, his body not even touching the stone steps. He hit the ground and rolled. Dean ran out after him and the doors to the asylum slammed shut.

 

The night air was completely silent, not even the wind dared make a sound as Dean helped Sam to his feet.

 

“What the hell is she?” Sam coughed out. Dean looked him over for injuries but he didn’t seem seriously hurt. Just a few bruises, really.

 

“What was wrong with you in there?” Dean asked him as they headed for the over-grown driveway that led to the road and the Impala.

 

“I don’t know.” Sam said as he thought back to what had happened inside the asylum. “Everything felt amplified. Intense.”

 

Dean didn’t reply but he couldn’t stop thinking about it as they drove back to the hotel they’d rented for the night. There were too many things they didn’t know. Who was the queen? What was she to Crowley? Why had they never heard of her? Who were the two kids sitting on their mini-thrones beside her?

 

As they trudged inside, both dropping down onto the beds, Dean thought carefully about his next words.

 

“I think we need to set up a new meeting.” He wasn’t sure how Sam would take this. “And I think only I need to go.”

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More of the story. Enjoy. Please, let me know what you think. I'll be updating Iron Widow Origins within a few days.

 

Sam hadn’t liked the idea of Dean going back to the queen by himself but Dean didn’t give him much of a choice. They needed to know what she wanted and what she meant about their being more Men of Letters. So, two days later, he found himself waiting in a lavish parlor while Sam waited at the motel room they’d rented for the rest of the week. The parlor room was decorated in silks and satins of varying shades of black and grey. Splashes of reds and pinks could be found in the rugs, throw pillows, and paintings. This room’s windows were left uncovered and they took up a large portion of one wall.

 

The day was dark, black and purple clouds roiling in the sky as if angered. His joints ached with the knowledge that it was going to rain. He really was getting too old for this.

 

"My father wasn't that man you remember." A husky voice says, startling Dean out of his thoughts.

 

A tall, muscular woman with short white hair was standing across the room. She looked like she’d been doing combat training and he was pretty sure he never wanted to arm wrestle her. She wore a black skirt that was very short, and the slits on the sides reminded him more of a loin cloth. Grey leggings covered her legs and flat soled black boots went up over her knees. She wore a red tank top with a dark grey vest over it that showed off her biceps. Her skin was white as snow and he was beginning to wonder if that was a theme with these people. Her eyes were red, like Crowley’s had been when he let his demon side show. Despite all of that, or maybe because of it, she was strikingly beautiful.

 

"I'll never say my father was a good man, but he was a good father, a good husband, and a good king." Dean shook his head because she couldn't be talking about who he thought she was. The only king he’d met, as far as he knew, was Crowley. A side door opened before he could ask and the queen walked into the room.

 

"Leave us, Neilina." She said and the woman obeyed immediately.

 

Dean watched the queen as she watched the other woman. He was surprised she wasn't in another elaborate get up. Instead, she wore an outfit similar to her daughter's but it was black, white, and blue.

 

"I wanted to apologize for how things ended when last you were here." She said as she looked at Dean. He would almost say her eyes were kind. "Is your brother well? I tried to hold back."

 

"What happened?" Dean asked her.

 

"It was a spell. Nasty thing. It was meant to intensify feelings, to sew discord. I'm glad to see that your curiosity was the feeling you had most strongly."

 

"So, somebody tried to screw you over."

 

"In a sense. Crowley had many enemies. We've cleansed the kingdom of most of them, don't look at me like that; you don't make it to being the queen without being ruthless. We're dealing with demons here, not puppies." Dean blinked at the analogy. He'd honestly never heard that one. "But we got rid of the dissenters, the loyalists. It seems a few stragglers slipped through."

 

"How come Crowley didn't do that himself?" Dean asked, not adding that he would be alive now if he had.

 

"Yes. He would be. But Crowley liked to give second chances on occasion. I'm not that nice." Her grin made him step back before he caught himself. All of her teeth were sharp, like a sharks. He had never seen that before with a demon.

 

"I'm an abomination." She told him with a self-deprecating laugh, her red lips careful to never part fully. Dean winced, he may not have had that experience but he empathizes with the feeling.

 

"I can hide it away, if you wish. I used to do it constantly. Until I met Crowley."

 

"No." Dean said on a whim, no hesitation in his tone. "It wouldn't be fair to ask you to hide in your own home."

 

"I do anyways, Dean." She told him, sadness and nostalgia mixing in her expression. "Crowley was the first person to not shy away from my full form."

 

He felt a pang of regret for her, for her loss. Yes, Crowley was at fault for what happened, but so was he, so was Sam. So was Cas. They'd all had a hand in it long before it actually happened. No, this path was formed years ago. When he looked at the queen again she was standing perfectly still, watching him.

 

“I’m sorry for your loss.” She told him, her eyes clouded with memories.

 

“You, too.” His voice is gruff, he doesn’t like talking about feelings or loss. He kills what needs killing and gets over it.

 

“I suppose we should sit. I have a lot to tell you.” She gestured towards the couches and Dean hesitated, looking at his old, worn jeans and flannel shirt before looking back at the expensive looking upholstery. “Dean, sit.”

 

He obliged when he noticed her smirk, as if she wanted to laugh.

 

“I have seven children, you can’t be any messier than they were.”

 

“Seven?” He’s too shocked to stop himself as he blurts the question. He looks her over and she’s a curvy woman but her clothes emphasize her tiny waist and flat stomach. Her laugh draws his eyes back to her face and his neck and ears burn when he remembers she can read his mind.

 

“I’m not reading your mind, Dean, just your face.” She told him, the mirth still present in the curve of her lips and the light in her strange eyes. “And yes, seven children. Three sons and four daughter. You’ve already met Neilina, Theseus, and Finley.”

 

With sudden realization, he remembers the twins he’d suspected of being vessels for demons. They were her children. Damn.

 

“And their dad? He in the picture?” Dean asked, hoping she’d give him any answer besides the one he was dreading. His heart was starting to beat faster and he wanted to take it back when her eyes fell to the floor, hiding her thoughts.

 

“He’s no longer with us. I’m sure you know why.” She told him without looking up again.

 

“I’m sorry.” He whispered. He wanted to tell her that he didn’t know, that he wished things could be different, but he knew none of that mattered. It wouldn’t help her. It wouldn’t bring Crowley back to her. He reached towards her to place his hand over hers, a gesture of comfort. Then suddenly, he wasn’t in the parlor anymore. He wasn’t anywhere, really. It was as if he was watching a movie while being in the movie. A virtual reality.

 

_**The room is dimly lit and there is a cage in the middle of the stone floor. Inside sits a small female, long black hair matted and tangled hangs around her. It looks like she’s trying to hide. Two men enter the room and one has a very rudimentary cattle prod. Without warning, he sticks it through the bars of the cage and touches the sparking ends to the girl’s exposed skin. She doesn’t scream, she just grips the bars tightly, baring her teeth in animalistic fury as she glares at the men._

 

_Suddenly, a figure appears in the room. A large man holding an axe. He seems to be in a trance as he swings at the first man, taking his head clear off. The second man is shocked and tries to use the electric prod but the large man doesn’t stop. He kills the second man quickly, efficiently, and steps over to the cage. The young woman is pressed against the back corner, a snarl on her face and fear in her eyes. The man only rips the door open, pulling the female out of the cage even as she fights against him._

 

_“Stop.” He tells her. “We’re leaving this place.”_

 

_The young woman stops, and Dean can tell it’s a young woman now because her hair is pushed away from her face as the man cradles her jaw gently. She’s wearing rags that used to be a dress. Without a fight, she follows the man to the door and the scene changes again._

 

_The summer sun is hot and Dean is shocked to see a younger looking Crowley browsing the shelves in a gas station in the middle of nowhere. Looking towards the front of the store he notices the queen of Hell. She’s leaning her forearms on the counter, her high waisted, cut-off shorts barely covering her. A white men’s undershirt had been cut to just below her ribs. Young Crowley approaches the counter where the young boy at the register is trying to not be caught peeking down the woman’s top. Young Crowley wraps an arm around the woman and drops a fifty dollar bill on the counter after their stuff is bagged and he carries it outside while still keeping an arm around the woman. A 1970 Chevy Chevelle is at the gas pumps, midnight blue with two white strips from the hood to the trunk._

 

_The woman squeals with laughter as Young Crowley tickles her and growls against her throat. Then, he pulls out a pack of cigarettes, putting one between his lips before opening her door for her. He gets behind the wheel and they peel out, leaving black marks on the paved parking lot.**_

 

The smell of rubber is vivid as Dean realized that he was no longer touching the queen. Looking at the grandfather clock against the wall closest to them, he realized that what he’d perceived as hours, had been only seconds. He didn’t know what happened, but the queen’s face was devoid of any emotion as she looked at him.

 

“That’s why you want to kill them.” He said, not knowing if she knew how much he’d seen. “That was them.”

 

“Yes.” She said, her stone façade not cracking in the slightest. “I think you should leave.”

 

“Wait, can I-“ He stopped. He had no idea what he wanted to ask her, he just didn’t think that things should be left like this. “Can I at least know your name, what to call you?”

 

“Atropos.” She told him, standing and waiting for him to follow her lead. He did, unsure of what else to say. “I will be in contact. Give Sam my apologies, if you will.”

 

Dean assured her that he would before he was escorted out of the room and then out of the building by a female demon. He got in his car, heading for the hotel. The image of the young woman inside the cage was burned into his eyes.

 

When he pulled into the parking lot, Sam was pacing outside the door to their room. He saw Dean and threw his hands up into the air.

 

“What?” Dean asked as he got out of the Impala.

 

“Why is your phone off?” Sam asked, reaching for Dean’s jacket pocket.

 

“Hey!” Dean called out, stepping away from Sam. “I didn’t know it was off. It must’ve died.”

 

“Well, what happened?” Sam asked, exasperation clear in his expression.

 

“Let’s go inside.” Dean said, looking around the empty parking lot.

 

When they stepped through the door, Dean removed his jacket, put his phone on the charger, and dropped onto the bed face first. He was suddenly too exhausted to move.

 

“What’s up with you, man?” Sam asked him, kicking his foot to get his attention.

 

“I don’t know. Something weird happened. I think it zapped all my energy.” He told his younger brother. “Atropos says sorry, by the way.”

 

“Atropos?” Sam asked, sudden interest in his voice.

 

“That’s the queen’s name. Atropos. She said she was sorry for throwing you out on your ass. There was something hinky going on.”

 

“You two must’ve had quite the talk. She is pretty. If you go for demon queens of Hell.”

 

“Dude, it’s not even like that. I’d never go for Crowley’s baby mama.”

 

“What?!” Sam shrieked loudly, pulling Dean from the stupor he’d been falling into. “You didn’t think you should mention that part first? How do you know she isn’t lying?”

 

“Calm down.” Dean replied, exhaustion evident in his slow speech. “Yes, baby mama. No, not lying. Met a daughter. She was hot, which makes me feel weird. Now, let me sleep and I’ll tell you the rest later.”

 

While Sam sputtered, Dean kicked his boots off before removing his flannel shirt and jeans. He had barely crawled under the covers before he was out.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is coming to me just as quickly as Iron Widow Origins is. Jeez. I'm pretty proud of that.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> [Effie](https://www.polyvore.com/effie_macleod_king_is_dead/set?id=222427445)
> 
> [Ainsley](http://www.polyvore.com/ainsley_macleod_king_is_dead/set?id=222435602) (The wig is to show what color her hair is.)
> 
> [Conall](http://www.polyvore.com/conall_macleod_king_is_dead/set?id=222437405)

 

Atropos hadn’t called Dean again and when he called Crowley’s old number it went straight to voicemail. He’d left exactly one message, the third time it had went to voicemail.

 

_*“Look, uh, I’m sorry. I have no idea what I’m apologizing for but at this point, I feel like it’s something that I need to do. So, I’m sorry. Call me.”*_

 

They’d packed up their overnight bags and got in the Impala to head back to the bunker. Now, here they were, almost a week into complete silence and still dead in the water about how to open the portal. They had went back and forth over and over again about what could happen. If Lucifer made it out before Mary, if Mary was dead, if, if, if. Dean was tired of that word.

 

He rubbed at his sleep blurred eyes and made his way into the kitchen for coffee, pausing when he saw a young woman at his stove. She was short and curvy. Her long hair was in waves down her back. It was the color of a pastel rainbow of purples, blues, pinks, greens, and yellows. It complimented her pale skin.

 

Before he could move, he heard two strange voices arguing.

 

“Ainsley,” a male voice said. “I don’t think they’re the type to use seven different pieces of silverware for one meal.”

 

“Conall, if you don’t get away from me right this instant I’m calling Neilina.” A female said.

 

Suddenly, the young woman at the stove turned around, letting out a short squeak at the sight of Dean. He heard a crash, glass breaking, and then the two other strangers were standing in front of him.

 

“Effie, what the hell?” The taller of the two women said. Her hair was buzzed close to her head and a shocking red color. “Why’d you yell?”

 

“He startled me. Standing there, completely silent. It’s rude.” Effie, he supposed, said in a huff as she pouted full, pink lips before resuming her walk towards the counter behind Dean. Her large blue eyes made the pout that much cuter. Wait, what?

 

“Sorry, mate.” The man said. “Name’s Conall, these are my little sisters, Effie and Ainsley.”

 

Both women huffed and Ainsley rolled her bright green eyes. She had sharp features that could easily grace the cover of a magazine. The man wasn’t much taller than the girl’s and he had curly black hair that went a little past his shoulders. That, combined with his dark brown eyes, made him seem out of place next to the women. All three looked like perfectly normal, pleasant people but he had no idea what they were doing in the bunker. Before he could ask, Sam rushed in behind them, a gun in his hand as he scanned the room.

 

“Excuse you,” Effie said, hands on her nicely rounded hips. He really needed to get a rein on his thoughts. “Is that any way to greet visitors? No wonder father was always yelling. Get dressed, both of you.”

 

She made a shooing motion and Dean looked at Sam confused. He shrugged slightly, his own eyes slightly wider than normal.

 

“Who are you?” He asked them loudly, a wild look to his gaze. He had an idea, especially with the accents, but he never expected to meet them, much less have them visit.

 

“We’ve told you our names.” Ainsley said as she narrowed her eyes, peering closely at him. She bit her lip, pulling a silver lip ring into her mouth in the process. “Have you already forgotten?”

 

“No.” Dean said slowly, as if speaking to a child. “But your names didn’t really clear anything up.”

 

“Atropos is our mother.” Conall said politely.

 

“We thought she’d at least mention us.” Effie pouted her full lips again and Dean frowned. She looked like she was in her mid-twenties at the most and he was too old for that.

 

“Yes, our older sister and the twins got to meet you.” Ainsley said with a huff. “Well, only the twins met Sam.”

 

“Neilina was very disappointed.” Effie said with a wicked gleam in her eyes. “When father began calling you Moose she pouted for a week.”

 

“She didn’t seem the pouting type.” Dean mumbled as Sam just stood there, a helpless, dumbfounded look on his face.

 

“Oh, no, Neilina pouts about everything. Not as bad as she used to. She’s relaxed in the past fifty years or so.” Came from Conall.

 

“Wait, stop.” Sam interjected finally. “Can you, um, excuse us? We just need a minute.”

 

“Sure thing, mate. We’ll clean up the dishes we broke.” Conall said, holding a hand out towards his sister.

 

“Bye, Dean.” Ainsley and Effie said at the same time, both giving a little wave as they batted their lashes.

 

As soon as they were gone, Dean ran a hand over his face and turned to get a coffee mug. He poured a second mug for Sam as he started to speak and stopped over and over. Finally, he put his gun on the counter and gripped his hair tightly with both fists. Dean sipped his coffee as he watched Sam’s short freak out.

 

“How did they get in?” He hissed at Dean finally.

 

“We probably broke something when we blasted a hole in the wall.” Dean said. He was somewhat tired of freaking out about stuff. And maybe this meant that Atropos was okay with what happened. He was pretty sure no one did anything without her knowing about it. Least of all her own children.

 

“Okay. So, why are they here? Doesn’t that worry you?”

 

Dean shrugged as he checked the food in the pans on the stove. The food still in the pans was on low but he noticed dishes on the counter beside the stove that held food, too. Grabbing the pan of scrambled eggs, he added them to the half-filled bowl, then started transferring bacon and sausage to another plate.

 

“Not really.” He said after a moment, checking the oven to make sure all of the toast was removed. “I mean, obviously, if they were the bad guys, they’d have done something while we slept.”

 

“Unless they need us for something first.”

 

“Sam. Do you really think that they,” he pointed towards the door the siblings had went through. “Have a nefarious plot against us?”

 

“I don’t trust them.” Sam said, giving Dean a sharp look.

 

“Yeah, well, after what Crowley did for us, I say we give them the benefit of the doubt.”

 

With that, he grabbed up the dishes he could carry and made his way into the library. He was surprised to see the siblings still there. Conall was looking through the telescope in the archway while Ainsley and Effie seemed to be arguing over a book. All three turned towards the table as he set the food in the middle of the table.

 

“Oh, Dean,” Ainsley said as her and Effie made their way over. ”Don’t bother with that. You go get dressed. We’ll finish up here.”

 

Effie was already heading for the kitchen as Conall started laying out silverware. He nodded, figuring it wouldn’t hurt to get dressed. He didn’t want to sit around in front of strangers in boxers all day. He made quick work of showering, shaving, and dressing. As he made his way closer to the library, he slowed his steps so he’d make less noise.

 

Their three guests weren’t talking but he knew they were still there. As he stepped up to the entryway, he was proven right. Taking this moment while they were oblivious, he studied them. Conall had pulled his hair into a low ponytail, though Dean had never seen a person with such thick, curly hair do that. He wore black slacks that were tailored to fit snugly with blue leather boots. A perfectly tailored, light blue button down shirt showed off his lean torso. The sleeves had been rolled up over his forearms and Dean noticed a colorful dragon tattoo wrapping around his left forearm.

 

Effie was seated at the very end of the table, away from the food, with her feet propped on the second table. A book was leaned against her thighs and as he watched, she flipped the page. It was one of the books he and Sam had yet to decipher but she seemed to be reading it just fine. She wore black combat boots, jeans that he assumed had been blue at one time but were now so washed out that they looked almost white. Her black t-shirt pulled tight across her well-endowed chest and it read: _Alice in Chains._

 

Ainsley was scrolling through her phone, a smirk on her face. Her body was slim, making her seem delicate when combined with her short stature. She wore high waisted, black jeans and a white, cropped t-shirt with no bra, he quickly realized. Her breasts were small and tight. He was briefly reminded of the scene with Atropos and Crowley he’d accidentally seen. Atropos was shaped more like Effie, but she’d been wearing an outfit similar to Ainsley’s.

 

When she turned her head towards Dean, she winked and he coughed, caught. Silver lining her ears caught the light and he was surprised to notice that she had about twenty rings in each ear. A tiny glint on her nostril revealed a nose piercing and when she licked her lips, her tongue ring clanked softly against her lip ring. He almost looked at her chest to see if his assumption was correct but caught himself.

 

Sam came into the room shortly after he sat at the table and Dean noticed he started checking the siblings out, too. So, it wasn’t just Dean. That was nice to know. Dean cleared his throat, trying to save Sam some embarrassment.

 

“You can read that?” Sam asked and it took Dean a moment to notice that he’d addressed Effie.

 

“Sure. It’s based on my mother, after all.” She said as if they should’ve known.

 

“What language is it?” Sam asked and Dean felt slightly relieved. Sam loved every opportunity to learn something.

 

“Selkish.” She told him. “Didn’t you notice it looked Scottish?”

 

“Well, yeah.” Sam said as he walked to stand next to Effie’s chair. “But, I didn’t know Selkies were real.”

 

“Of course they are.” She said with surprise. “Who do you think ran my mother from her homeland and into the cage of the Men of Letters?”

 

“I didn’t know.” Sam said. “Wait, cage? Really?”

 

“I told you what I saw.” Dean told him, deciding not to wait anymore and filling his plate.

 

“So, what story is this?” Sam asked, ignoring Dean except for a pointed look and an eye roll.

 

“Snow White.” Ainsley answered as she leaned her hip against the table near Dean. His arm brushed her side as he reached for his coffee. He’d almost choked on a piece of toast after that revelation.

 

“Atropos is Snow White?” He asked after clearing his wind pipe.

 

“Of course. Don’t tell me you didn’t notice her black hair, red lips, and skin as white as snow.” Ainsley replied. “It’s pretty hard to miss.”

 

“Wait. Your mom is from Scotland? Same as Crowley?” Sam asked and Dean perked up at that.

 

“Why else do you think a crossroads demon would save a girl?” Conall asked as he dropped into the seat across from Dean. “They grew up together.”

 

 


End file.
